Perfectionism

is not all it is cracked up to be.

Advent

Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday November 28 - Isaiah 42:1-9
Monday November 29 - Psalm 89:1-29
Tuesday November 30- Isaiah 55
Wednesday December 1 - Isaiah 35
Thursday December 2 - Luke 1:26-38
Friday December 3 - John 1:1-10
Saturday December 4- John 1:11-18

Sunday December 5 - Micah 5:2
Monday December 6 - Malachi 3:1-4
Tuesday December 7 - Matthew 1:18-25
Wednesday December 8 - Mark 1:1-13
Thursday December 9 - Isaiah 40:1-11
Friday December 10 - Isaiah 52:1-6
Saturday December 11 - Isaiah 9:2-7

Sunday December 12 - Luke 2:8-20
Monday December 13 - Luke 1:5-25
Tuesday December 14 - Luke 1:39-56
Wednesday December 15 - Jeremiah 33:7-16
Thursday December 16 - Luke 1:57-80
Friday December 17 - Isaiah 61
Saturday December 18 - Revelation 21:1-7

Sunday December 19 - Matthew 1:18-25 & Luke 1:28-38
Monday December 20 - Revelation 1:10-18
Tuesday December 21 - Matthew 2:1-12
Wednesday December 22 - still looking for passage for this day...
Thursday December 23 - Luke 2:1-20
Friday December 24 -Saturday December 25 - Christmas Day: Read the Christmas story together from Luke 2:1-38

The Sunday scriptures are the Advent Candle reading scriptures. Here is what we do when we light our candle each week...


November 28 - Prophecy Candle
Scripture: Malachi 3:1-4
Song: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Reading:


December 5 Bethlehem Candle
Scripture: Micah 5:2
Song: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Reading:


December 12 Shepherd Candle
Scripture: Luke 2:8-20
Song: While Shepherd's Watched Their Flocks By Night
Reading:


December 19 Angel Candle
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 & Luke 1:28-38
Song: Angels, We Have Heard on High
Reading:


December 24 (Christmas Eve) Christ Candle
Scripture: Luke 2:1-38
Song: Silent Night ; O Come All Ye Faithful
Reading:

The Best Laid Plans........

Lately, I have been looking for "bloggable" events and lessons throughout my day.  This blog has sat dormant for far too long.  I started this blog as an outlet and a voice.  I wanted to provide something for others ~ to encourage, to teach, to minister, or even to commiserate.  I wanted to be out there.  But I find myself not coming to the blog, or when I do, not blogging.  However, I am challenging myself to change that. To do more, to put it out there, because I know that through practice I can and will improve my writing and hopefully maybe my audience.  

So I started looking for events and lessons which might be interesting to blog. And early in the day one was presented itself.

Pumpkin's birthday was last week.  Today we were taking her and another homeschooling friend bowling and out to lunch.  However, the day also included a couple of other errands that all had to be done in town.  Dad and I decided that we would split up, since we now own two vehicles, each going our own way accomplishing tasks and then we would converge upon the bowling alley and enjoy the time together. 

 My errands included taking Little Man for his check up appointment and talking to the Doctor about a concern we have with Buddy.  I had to leave first. Which I did, much to Pumpkin and Bug's dismay.  You see they weren't paying attention to the details we had worked out.  Bug was struggling with finding his shoes and his sister was fussing at him to hurry up and getting more impatient with him by the second.  Apparently they were deeply involved with finding said shoes when I loaded up Buddy and Little Man and backed out of the driveway, the first time.  However, I realized that a piece of much needed information for Dad was in his Bible in my van.  So I circled the block and had Buddy take the information to his dad.  

It was at this point that both  Bug and Pumpkin realized I was leaving and they were, in fact, not.  Pumpkin was greatly distressed at this fact and not trusting that her parents had worked something out, thought that she had missed the planned trip and wasn't going to get to celebrate with her friend.  She had one plan in mind and what was happening didn't match that plan, so she decided the only other option was that her plan was ruined and she wasn't going to get what she wanted.

She took that out on her brother, berating him and in general being hateful towards him because she believed him to be the reason her plan wasn't being carried out.  

How often do we do this to God?  How often to we have a plan to accomplish what we want to accomplish and not trust that God has His own plan, which is often different than ours?  How often do we blame others and are hateful to them instead of turning to our Heavenly Father and asking Him if there is another plan or another way?  How often do we, as Pumpkin did later, have to go back and apologize to others once we learn the error of our ways?

Multitude Monday

A new thing ~ A challenge ~ A spark
I have seen this off and on around blog world for the past several years.  It has been something that has intrigued me, something that I *thought* I *should* do.  But never flipped over and opened the blog to do so.  So it got left undone, and in not doing so I realize now I was missing out.  Missing out on something.  Something Big.
Because with God everything is Big,no matter how *little* the world says it might bea touch, a word, a sunrise, a momentcan be, nonot can beIS A BIG THING when God is involved.
So I start my listlooking at my everyday for those things God has given to me

1. My Grandmother's rocker that  now sits in my living room
2. The hand work ~ crochet and sewing ~ she taught me to do.
3. My Sweet little teething baby.
4. My oh, so helpful, oldest
5. My wonderful, playful, full of energy boys
6. My loyal dedicated serving husband
7. Friends through thick and thin

Changes

I have been amazed in recent weeks at changes in attitude.  Changes in me and my attitudes.  Changes I can only account to God's work in my life and more importantly in my heart.  Some have been direct conscious choices that I have focused on in prayer and conversations with God.  Others have been results of the first changes.  

What I have learned most about these changes is the the truth of the verse about guarding your heart, Above all else guard your heart, for out of it comes the wellspring of life.  (Proverbs 4:23) I have always understood that verse one way.  Guarding what you put in your heart, being careful not to let the 'bad' stuff in.  Much like the childhood song "Oh Be Careful" sung to the tune of "If You're Happy And You Know It"    "Oh be careful little eyes what you see.  Oh be careful little ears what you hear. etc" However,  I have experienced the truth of the other half of that verse.  The changes God has  made in my heart have shown in very visible ways in my life.  These changes have benefited me, and my family.  I sit and marvel at these changes almost daily.  And I thank God for them.

School

Tomorrow starts our school routine again.  Last year it was the second day of "school" we spent at the doctor's office.  This year it is the first one.  Little Man has his 6 month check up tomorrow.  But we will adjust our routine and go on.  We will have school tomorrow and get some routines started.  Others will be getting in gear over the next days and weeks.  I can't believe that I will have a first grader, a third grader and a sixth grader.  time is just flying by.

My first grader will be in for somewhat of a shock with his schooling this year.  It will be a bit more formal than last year and I am not sure he is expecting it.  But it will be okay and he will get over it.


I am also going to start a new Bible Study.  I just have to find the right one for me.

Do You Have a Dream?

That is the question that was asked in the Crosswalk Devotional I read this morning.  In it Lysa TerKeurst talks of the beginning of her Proverbs 31 Ministry. Her main point is being obedient to God and letting him do the work in unfolding the dream He gave you.

I have a dream, a dream that was birthed more than 15 years ago.  In the intervening years I have done just about anything I could to get away from that dream.  However, God has been faithful and not let that dream suffer or die because of my lack of nurturing.  It is still there and now stronger than ever.  However, now that I am ready it seems that other things keep blocking our path.  And I might be tempted to say no, this wasn't from God.  But I know differently, and He has confirmed my dream to me through many sources, so I know that He will be faithful again.  The waiting is hard.  I have been trying to be obedient in my waiting, not always successful in that obedience either but I am trying.

One question that keeps coming up in my mind and I know from others is "What makes me qualified to be an Officer?"  "What gifts do I have that will make me successful?"  I have thought and thought on those questions.  And quite frankly I don't have a definitive answer, when I look at myself.  I mean on the office side of things I can be a good organizer and with motivation have good time management skills,  I can multi-task very well, usually.  I can keep good records, I learned that as a teacher.  On the ministry side of things, I have a heart for working with children and ladies, teaching and ministering.  I love reaching out to people where they are and helping them to go further.  I have a good knowledge base to start and I LOVE to learn more.  However, while that list is long and fairly detailed I have come to realize that both that list and the questions themselves are focusing on the wrong person in the equation.  I don't know what "I" have what will be necessary or what I can learn to do. The best I can say is that God called me.  And where He called, He will equip, train and lead.  I have a passion to do what He called me to do. And so I see that as my best qualification.  I simply want to be given the chance to do it